How to Stretch Your Biceps

Co-authored by Jason Whalen

Last Updated: June 14, 2024 Fact Checked

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Stretching is a great way to keep your muscles flexible and supple. Whether you’re warming up before a workout or cooling down after one, make sure not to overlook stretching your biceps. Your biceps will thank you for it.

Here are 10 different effective bicep stretches you can try.

1

Do arm swings or rotations.

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This is a great dynamic pre-workout biceps stretch. Stand up nice and straight and lift your arms up straight out at your sides. Move your arms in vertical and circular motions at the same time to do arm rotations. Or, hold your arms out straight in front of you at shoulder height with your palms facing down. Swing your arms back behind you then back to the front to do arm swings.^{[1]
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- Dynamic stretches are better for your muscles when they’re cold, or when you haven't done any exercises yet. Other types of stretches are better for when your muscles are warmed up, such as after lifting weights.

2

Hold your arms straight out at shoulder height.

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This is an easy post-workout biceps stretch that requires no equipment. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and lift both your arms straight up at your sides with your palms facing the floor, until they’re even with your shoulders. Press your arms back as far as you can and rotate your hands until your thumbs are facing straight down. Hold this for 20 seconds and repeat it 3 times.^{[2]
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- You can do this before a workout to loosen up your biceps too, but hold the stretch for 3-5 seconds instead of 20 seconds.

3

Do a standing behind-the-back biceps stretch.

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You don’t need anything other than your body for this stretch. Stand up and interlace your fingers behind your back. Keep your hands near the base of your spine and straighten out your arms. Lift your arms up as high as you can until you feel a stretch and hold the position for up to 1 minute.^{[3]
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- You can repeat this stretch up to 3 times or move on to a different stretch. Do whatever feels best to you!

4

Stretch your biceps in a doorway.

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This stretch uses a door frame to give your biceps a great stretch. Stand in front of any doorway with your back to the opening. Reach one of your arms behind you and place your open palm against the inside edge of the door frame. Turn the other side of your body away from the arm, continuing to press your palm against the door frame, until you feel your bicep stretching. Hold this for at least 10 seconds, then repeat the move for the other side.^{[4]
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- Move your arm lower to get a higher stretch or higher to get a lower stretch.
- You can also use a column to do this stretch if there isn’t a doorway nearby.

5

Do a flat wall bicep stretch.

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This is another way to use a flat surface to aid your bicep stretching. Stand near a wall and press one of your palms flat against the surface of the wall at about shoulder height. Slowly turn the other side of your body away from the wall until you feel the stretch and hold the position for 30 seconds. Repeat this with your other arm.^{[5]
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- Experiment with moving your hands up and down on the wall until you find the spot that makes you feel like you’re getting the best stretch.

6

Try a wall corner biceps stretch.

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This uses an inside corner of a wall to stretch both biceps at once. Stand in the inside corner of a wall, facing the corner. Straighten both arms out at shoulder height and place both your palms against the wall to your left and right. Move further into the corner until you feel your biceps being stretched. Hold this position for up to 30 seconds and repeat it 2-3 times.^{[6]
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- Feel free to experiment with the height of your hands to find what feels best for your biceps.

7

Try a seated biceps stretch.

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This is a super easy stretch that you can do anywhere. Sit down on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat. Place your hands on the floor behind you with your fingertips pointed backwards and your arms straight. Slowly move your butt forwards, away from your hands, until you feel a stretch in your biceps. Hold the stretch for about 15 seconds.^{[7]
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- If the floor doesn’t feel comfortable, place a yoga mat, a towel, or a blanket underneath you.

8

Hang from a pull up bar.

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A hanging bar stretch targets pretty much your whole upper body. Grab a pull up bar firmly with your palms facing away from you, about shoulder-width apart. Hang with your arms straight for up to 1 minute. Repeat this up to 3 times to really stretch your muscles out.^{[8]
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- If you can’t reach the pull up bar, stand on a step, a chair, or a bench to grab it.
- You can do this with any kind of bar if you don’t have a pull up bar available, such as the monkey bars at a playground.

9

Do a half-kneeling biceps stretch.

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This utilizes a table or another flat surface to stretch your biceps. Stand facing away from a flat, elevated surface, such as a table or desk. Place the backs of your hands behind you on the surface, so your palms are open and facing up. Get into a half-kneeling position, or a lunge position, and hold the stretch for 30 seconds.^{[9]
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- To get into a half-kneeling lunge position, place 1 foot in front of you and bend down so the thigh of your front leg is straight out in front of you and the knee of your back leg is touching the ground.
- As an alternative to the half-kneeling position, squat down until you feel a stretch in your biceps.

10

Be careful not to overdo your stretching.

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Overstretching can lead to muscle tears. Only stretch your biceps as far as you need in order to feel a good stretch. Don’t try to push stretches any further than is comfortable or you might injure yourself.^{[10]
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- If you’re just starting out stretching, feel free to hold stretches for shorter periods of time. Slowly work your way up to the recommended amount of time as you get more flexible and comfortable.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How long should biceps be sore?

Monica Morris
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Monica Morris is an ACE (American Council on Exercise) Certified Personal Trainer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 15 years of fitness training experience, Monica started her own physical training practice and gained her ACE Certification in 2017. Her workouts emphasize proper warm-ups, cool-downs, and stretching techniques.

Monica Morris

ACE Certified Personal Trainer

Expert Answer

The recovery period after a workout when you experience muscle soreness may last from 48 to 72 hours.

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Question

How can I get a good bicep stretch while I'm sitting?

Jason Whalen
Certified Personal Trainer
Jason Whalen is a Certified Personal Trainer and the Owner of JWWFitness in Scottsdale, Arizona. With over a decade of experience, Jason specializes in strength, core, endurance, and plyometric training programs for those looking to improve their fitness, overall health, and sports performance. He holds a BA in Exercise Science from Eastern New Mexico University. Jason is also a Nutrition Therapist and a Member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). He was voted the Best of 2012 for Personal Trainers by Kudzu and was featured in Echo Magazine.

Jason Whalen

Certified Personal Trainer

Expert Answer

Start by sitting on the floor with your knees out straight, your chest out, and your shoulders back. Then, point your fingers behind you to get a stretch through your bicep.

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Question

How can I use gym straps to get a bicep stretch?

Jason Whalen
Certified Personal Trainer
Jason Whalen is a Certified Personal Trainer and the Owner of JWWFitness in Scottsdale, Arizona. With over a decade of experience, Jason specializes in strength, core, endurance, and plyometric training programs for those looking to improve their fitness, overall health, and sports performance. He holds a BA in Exercise Science from Eastern New Mexico University. Jason is also a Nutrition Therapist and a Member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). He was voted the Best of 2012 for Personal Trainers by Kudzu and was featured in Echo Magazine.

Jason Whalen

Certified Personal Trainer

Expert Answer

Grip the straps under-handed, then walk out forward until your arms are straight. That way, your fingers will be pointing the opposite direction and your shoulders are back.

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